City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Corpus Christi, TX (92.7) and Scranton, PA (93.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX goes as far as $101,000 in Scranton, PA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,117 a month in Corpus Christi, TX versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Corpus Christi, TX and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Scranton, PA than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.5% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Scranton, PA ($106,955 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.4% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Corpus Christi, TX | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,955 in Scranton | $99,054 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Scranton, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
66 Fair offer
Scranton, PA → Corpus Christi, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Scranton, PA | Real change, Corpus Christi → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $61,722 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $74,678 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $89,508 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $106,437 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $125,776 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $76,590 | $75,865 (+26.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $119,960 | $118,825 (−3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $70,480 | $69,813 (−7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $82,650 | $81,868 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.